Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In terms of process, we will await the witnesses updated submission. We will then follow up immediately with the Department. We will look at the specific issues raised by the witnesses and Senator Buttimer. We will consider that at our private meeting. Two or three months have elapsed. I would like the witnesses to build precedent and experiences from elsewhere into their submission. Other countries that have introduced legislation have had to change a lot of the system to deal with the flaws in it in terms of dealing with people with disabilities. If they could incorporate that into their submission, we would look for an immediate meeting for them with the Department and the Ministers. We will interact with the witnesses on a continual basis regarding the legislation that is coming before us. We will be doing a substantive body of work on Committee Stage on this legislation.

With that, on behalf of all the members, I thank Mr. Fulham, Mr. O'Mahony, Ms Kennedy, Ms Fitzpatrick, Ms Tinsley and Ms Murphy for attending and engaging in such thorough fashion with our committee. We look forward to our continued debate.